Victory Over Sharia

Saturday, 9 July 2011 marked a monumental answer to prayer as South Sudanese celebrate their successful struggle for self-determination and secession from the Arab North. It is a victory against the oppressive Sharia law of the National Islamic Front government of Sudan.

Date With Destiny

This Saturday, 9 July, marks a date with destiny. It is the culminative effect of many years of intensive prayer, worldwide publicity, international pressure and missionary partnership with courageous persecuted Christians in South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains.

Independence

The longest war, in the largest country in Africa, was concluded with an independent and free Southern Sudan which separated approximately one third of Sudan’s land surface into a new and independent State.

Celebrations in Juba

Paul Jacob Kumbo, the Director of Public Information, and Mustafa Biong Majak, the Director General, Ministry of Information of South Sudan (www.goss.org) has provided the following information concerning the upcoming independence of South Sudan. The main celebration events will take place in the capital of South Sudan, Juba. This will involve a Declaration of Independence, a Flag Raising Ceremony and Parade. The flag of South Sudan has been chosen, a six coloured flag, which was the official flag of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army. The new National Anthem has been chosen through a nationwide competition and the new Coat of Arms bears an image of the African Fish Eagle. A new currency, the South Sudan Pound will be introduced over the coming months.

A New Country in Africa

South Sudan will become the 55th country in Africa and the 196th country in the world. The official name will be the Republic of South Sudan (RSS). Salva Kiir Mayodit will be sworn in for a four year term as president of the new Republic of South Sudan. A transitional constitution will come into force when it is signed into law by the president. The Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly will be reconstituted as the National Legislative Assembly.

Self-Determination

The independence on 9 July concluded the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005, signed by the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army and the government of Sudan. The CPA provided for the people of Southern Sudan to exercise their right to self-determination through a Referendum which was held in January 2011. 98.83% voted in favour of Secession.

Violence in Abyei

The Republic of South Sudan will welcome and help settle South Sudanese who wish to return from the displacement camps in the North. The government of South Sudan has stated that they will recognize all legally acquired property rights and land ownership in the South. Some critical areas in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remain unresolved, such as the final status of the oil-rich Abyei province, which is afflicted by violence from the North. The arrangements for the Nuba Mountains people of South Kordofan and others, who want to be part of the south in the Blue Nile, have yet to be resolved.

Churches Burned and Christians Bombed in the Nuba Mountains

As the people of South Sudan celebrate their hard fought independence the security situation in Abyei and the Nuba Mountains is critical. Churches have been burned, and Christians targeted by deadly air strikes and ground attacks. Muslimmilitia shouting “AllahAkbar” have opened fire on congregations gathered for worship. Church property in Kadugli has been looted.

Jihad and Assassinations

The governor of NorthKordofan declared Jihad on the people of the Nuba Mountains. Refugees fleeing the fighting report that Arabmilitia’s are “killing anyone who is Black.” Egyptian UN “Peacekeepers” have been accused by many Nuba asbiased towards their Arab tormentors and complicit in targetedassassinations within UN Displaced Camps. Fighting has erupted between the military forces of the North and the South in the oil-rich Abyei province. The National Islamic Front government of Sudan insisted that oil-rich Abyei have a separate Referendum as to whether they were to remain part of the North or the South. However, after Northern orchestrated violence, the government insisted that the separate Referendum ofAbyei be indefinitely postponed! Fighting is escalating in and around the strategic oil-rich province of Abyei in the Nuba Mountains of South Sudan.

Pray for South Sudan

Please join in with us in fervent prayer that the sufferings of our Christian brethren in South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains become known to the Church worldwide and that the persecutors be exposed and opposed. Let us pray that peace with justice be firmly established in an independent South Sudan.